San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-10
SyIvia's Guardian;
OR
A YOUNG GIRLS LOVE.
BY RETT WILDWOOD.

or the hand ne mad released mome...
before.
"There is piano in the next ROOM"
he said, in tone Of mock gravity.
Sylvia shall be put to the crucial test
Immediately"
There was wistful expression in the
girls eyes as they questioned his on the
way out. As if in answer to it, he bent
and whispered:
1T is better to humor Aunt Margaret.
Do not let her make you unhappy. Her
bark is much worse than her bite"
Mrs. Dalton was close behind them.
She selected the most difficult piece of
music on the rack.
"Play this, Miss Dreeme."
At first Sylvia's touch was soft and
light as a snowflake. But as the theme
grew in. intensity the heavy chords
Numbered and reverberated through the
apartment. Even Mrs. Dalton drew
back astonished. Never had she lis
tened to such playing from an amateur.
''Some persons play well who have no
voice for singing" she said, biting her
lip as she again tossed over the innum-
cradle sheets of music. Here is an air
from one of the Italian operas. Do you
feel equal to undertaking it?"
II will do the best can" Sylvia an
swered, sweetly.
Her singing was perfection. The
fresh, clear voice floated through the
room, filling the whole house with
sweet: subtle melody. With the first
note Mrs. Dalton realized that she had
made mistake in urging the matter,
and fell back with an ominous tighten
ing of her thin lips. Was the young
girl in league with the evil one to be so
remarkably gifted?"
Mr.. Castleton had stood by, perfectly
silent; but with changing face. When
Sylvia would have risen from the piano,
he came step nearer.
"Will you sing once more-an Eng
lish songp" he said. in low tone.
Sylvia selected one at random. Mr..
Castleton was now standing where she
could see his face. She saw him start
at the first word, and grow deadly pale.
As the song proceeded, he leaned
against the wall and covered his face
with his hands.
What did his agitation mean? Had
the song awakened unpleasant recollec-
tionsp Should she desistp
Suddenly Mrs. Dalton swept her fin
gers from the keys with no gentle move
ment.
"What possessed you to choose that
songp" she sharply whispered. "Never
let me hear it again."
Sylvia rose hurriedly. AS she stood
at the window, trying to control her
beating pulses, Mr.. Castleton crossed
to her side. Though paler than usual.
he was again the calm, self-possessed
man of the world.
You sing and play remarkably well,
Sylvia If rara nift I Huioh fn
thank you for the pleasure you have
given me-"
Pleasure mixed with pain? Sylvia so
fancied. After lingering a moment
longer, he abruptly quilted the room.
Mrs. Dalton waited until the echo of
his step died away, then coldly said:
81 may as well offer a word of ex-
PLANTATION. Mark quarrelled with the
lady he loved-Or, rather, she with him.
1t amounts to the same thing. She went
abroad, and is somewhere in Europe
now. She and Mark used to sing that
song together"
"How could she leave him?" Sylvia
faltered, conscious of vague thrill of
pain.
Mrs. Dalton gave her sharp glance.
Isabel Grier is a very proud woman.
Having taken false step, l believe she
would sooner die than make the first
overtures toward reconciliation"
Il never believed in that sort Of
pride"
did you notP" her lip taking scorn-
full curve. We'll, we are not all con-
stituted alike"
That night Sylvia thought more than
was good for her of Mark Castleton and
the ladylove from whom he had been so
cruelty severed. All the romance of her
nature had been aroused.
He must have been very fond of this
Isabel Grier," she told herself. THE
wound has not been wholly healed. 1t
may never be-" And she sighed, with
out in the least knowing why.
Several days wore on. The grave
kindness of her guardian won upon
Sylvia hourly. They walked and drove
together. and sometimes spent whole